With the impending closure of Shakespeare & Co., we're saying goodbye to a friend of the NYU community. It is not the obligation of NYU to save the local bookstore. It's unlikely that even if Shakespeare & Co. reached a mutual agreement with the NYU Bookstore located just a few doors down that the additional revenue would offset the surge in rental prices.

Labour believes we should take steps now to stop irresponsible agents operating and end the scandal of rip-off fees. Labour wants to see a sector based on long-termism and responsibility that works for working people whether they are tenants, landlords or running businesses that operate within the sector.

I share an ambition with the communities secretary to provide more affordable, more sustainable homes for the future. The question is, at a time when private sector rents are set to rise by 20% over the next five years, how are we going to achieve this?